Voidoid leader gives collection to library

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Leader of The Voidoids, legendary punk rock veteran Richard Hell has donated a substantial portion of his personal papers to a New York University library.

They include some of Hell's diaries, manuscripts for his novels, various letters, photos and more, chartattack.com reveals.

They will become part of a special collection of urban New York art. There are over 30 feet of material, considered by scholars historical documents of the '70s downtown New York scene.

As well as being an influential musician, Hell has produced significant work as a writer and visual artist and published a collection of pamphlets by Patti Smith, former television bandmate Tom Verlaine, renowned rock journo Nick Tosches and others.

The papers join the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library's Downtown New York collection, dedicated to archiving the local arts scene from 1974 to now. It will probably take a year to organize the papers before scholars and students can use them.